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| TOM MESCHERY |
Who knew? Everything I knew about Chamberlain up to that point, I learned from Saturday Night Live.
Another bit of knowledge my David brought to our community was cribbage. He taught me early on, and others later on, to play. And to this day, I can, on any given Tuesday, go to the food court in the mall and find two of David's best (Florida) friends, Charlie and Art, playing cribbage.
Where am I going with this?
A few days ago, my friend, Charlie, who is a real sports guy, sent me a full page article from The New York Times (March 11th issue) about this guy named Tom Meschery, who started alongside Wilt Chamberlain, and named a 1963 N.B.A. All-Star, and became the first player to have his number retired at the Goldengate Warriors.
The article is titled, Finding the Words For His Final Verse In Hoops and Love.
I know what you're thinking because I've never heard of him either! And why did Charlie send this story to me? I don't have hoop dreams.
Tom Meschery is a writer. He's written five books of poetry, two memoirs, and six novels. Much of his poetry is about his remarkable life. He was born in Manchuria to Russian parents. I can't relate to basket ball or being born in Manchuria, but I can relate to many things he experienced in the decades that followed.
Much of my poetry came (and comes) from my big and little life frustrations. When I was much younger and was up to my ears in frustration, I would write a poem about it. It made me feel better. Then, if I sold the poem to a magazine for say, five dollars, I felt even better about it.
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| TOM MESCHERY |
OK, for those of you who know me, or are one of the many folks I've never met but read this blog, you know that, after a long first marriage, the last ten years of which were constant caregiving, I fell madly in love with David. We ended up playing cribbage all over the world!
Tom Meschery, at a late stage in his life, fell madly in love with a woman he met on line, with the help and approval of his son. The Time's article says they connected over their creative curiosities and their love of literature.
What? No way.
So many other similarities in Tom Meschery's life and mine. I'm beyond grateful to Charlie for sending me the article. I'll close with a Tom Meschery poem.
This morning, didn't I wake up to
sunlight
and a warm breeze? Didn't my wife
poke her head into the office
to tell me she loved me?
I flavor my coffee with honey that is sweet as
life.
I should live a little longer.
***
